The Lion and Her Serpent
by The Real Jon Snow
Summary: The houses of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin have been at odds for a thousand years. Maybe it's time the gap between them was bridged.
1. This Is Going To Be A Long Day

Pitterpatterpitterpatterpitterpatter

This was the only sound that could be heard throughout this hall of Hogwarts, as the girl's feet hit the floor. Her long bushy brown hair billowed behind her, as she flew through the halls at a breakneck speed. If it weren't for the overflowing bag, she was carrying on her shoulder; she truly would have been going close to the speed of light.

How could she be late? She was never late, and to Potions of all classes. She hoped that Professor Snape was also running late, or even that he was in a merciful mood, but in her heart, she knew neither would be true.

Looking back, and this was difficult for her to admit, it was her fault. She had been helping Harry with his History of Magic essay, because just like everyone else in the class, he had dozed off, due to Professor Binns infamous droning voice. By the time they were finished with the essay, she was so exhausted from the day, it had slipped her mind that she had Charms work due tomorrow.

When she got up the next morning, she went to the bathroom to take a shower, and get ready for the day.

As soon as she came out, her eyes came to rest on her bag, sitting by her bag, and she immediately remembered. In a state of panic, she rushed over, and her threw her bag on her bed. Going through her bag, she found the Charms assignment, sitting right on the top. Picking up a quill, and a bottle of ink lying around, she sat down, and started to go through it at a rapid pace.

After 25 minutes, she finally had finished everything. She even had to miss breakfast because of it, as her grumbling stomach reminded her every minute. "Tempus" and watched the blue sparks that shot out of her wand, started to form little numbers, and letters.

9:25AM they read.

As soon as she saw this, her heart dropped to her stomach, and she immediately began rushing around her dorm, preparing everything she would need for the day. As soon as she got her all of her books, into her bag, she took off the down the stairs, and out of the entrance to the common room

"Well I never!" she heard the Fat Lady, yell behind her, as she slammed the door on her way out. She made a mental note to apologize to her later.

Which was now how she was in her present situation, as for the first time in her three years at Hogwarts: Hermione Jean Granger was going to be late to a class

* * *

His robes flowed behind him, as he kept up a brisk pace. He wished he hadn't brought his book-laden bag with him. It was only Transfigurations, and he had a free period next, so he always could have gone back for the rest. His eyebrows scrunched over his brown eyes. Just another mistake he ha made today.

After he had eaten his dinner last night, he had made his way back, to his common room with Draco, and Theodore walking alongside him, following the rest of their house. As they made their way towards the dungeons, he let his eyes drift over to the first years, which had been sorted into Slytherin this year. Did I really use to be that small? he thought to himself as they arrived at the entrance to their common room. "Regius Anguis" Graham Pritchard called out, as the wall swung open, to reveal an open room, where everything had a greenish tint to it.

"Hey Z, up for a quick game of Exploding Snap?" Theodore said to him, as they both started up the stairs to their dormitories. "Maybe not tonight. I was hoping to some good sleep in tonight, and don't want to be up too late. Besides you wouldn't want me to beat you. Again" He said as they arrived, and immediately tried to go to his bed.

"You got lucky last time" Theo glowered at him, then added as his expression softened, "Come on! Just one game."

"Alright, Alright. But only one." He agreed against his better judgment. "Draco, you in?" Theo called over to their friend, who had just sat down on his bed. "I guess. If you two are going to be up anyway playing, and making a ruckus, I might as well join you." The blond haired Slytherin sighed as he got up, and made his way to the middle of the room, where Theodore had begun to set up the cards.

What had turned into one game, stretched into a tournament of sorts, that went till 3:30 in the morning. After that they had decided, to call it a night, with the tournament being declared a tie.

As soon as he woke that morning, he yawned, and began looking around. Immediately he knew something was wrong: There was nobody in the dorm with him, and the room had lit up with light. The idiots had forgotten to wake him up. Knowing he had no time for a shower, and certainly no time to eat, as breakfast was over already, grabbing his bag from atop his trunk, he began throwing books into it, from the clutter surrounding around his bed. It was only the first few days of school, but his living space was already ruined for the year.

As he went about his dorm, he remembered something: This would be the second time, he would be late to Professor McGonagall's class this year. While she was a good teacher, she was not known for her mercy, and he hesitated to think of what his punishment might be.

As soon as he collected everything, he ran down the stairs, and out the common room door, startling a few 7th years that had their first period free, as he whooshed past them.

Slowing down to a more suitable pace, he came to the conclusion that no amount of running, would get him there on time. He would just take the punishment the Professor gave him.

"What's the worst she can do to me?" Blaise Zabini said to himself, as he continued his journey towards the classroom.

* * *

Hermione had never run so fast in her entire life. Her parents had tried to make her do cross-country when she was younger, but that hadn't worked out. "Does not work well with a team," her coaches had told her parents. Her bag overflowing with her supplies for the day was almost a liability, weighing her down like that, but she couldn't toss them.

She made a sudden right, and as fast as she was going, she wasn't able to slow down in time to avoid the object she hit.

When she suddenly stopped, her bag lurched forward, and spewed all her books and supplies all over the corridor

"Oh Merlin, are you alright? I'm so sorry, I didn't see you," she said to the object, which turned out to be a person. A boy in fact. She began to get up, and offered him her hand to help him up off the ground. From her position above him, she could a better view of who he was. His skin was as dark as night, and he had black hair that was cut into a buzzcut. Her eyes were then drawn to his green robes, which meant he must have been a Slytherin. He also had the brownest eyes, she had ever seen. Any other time, they were probably quite nice to look at, but now they showed only rage.

"Maybe you should watch, where you're going next time? You could have damm well taken my head off," the boy snarled at her, ignoring her hand, as he pushed himself off the ground. He stood up straight, and she had to look up to look into the eyes that now had a look of disdain in them: Like she was nothing to him.

"I did say, I was sorry, there's no need to get so upset about it" she frowned up at him, and started to collect her scattered items from the floor.

"So you saying sorry, is going to fix you running into me, like a maniac? Yeah right" he said, throwing away her apology, like it was just some piece of trash. His items were also decorating the floor, so began to follow her move, and collect them. While he did this, he looked up at her, and finally recognized her as the Granger girl, who was always hanging around Harry Potter. "Just like the rest of your little group. Thinking they can do whatever they please around here." She stopped picking up her things, and looked at him, with scorn clearly showing in her eyes. "Just like a Slytherin: Cruel to those who, they think are beneath them!" she basically spit out the word Slytherin.

She finished collecting her items, and began stuffing them into her bag. After she finished, she glared at him. "Maybe next time, I'll aim higher, and actually- what was it you said? Oh right, take your head off!" she turned around so fast, her robes roared behind her, and she again began her route towards Potions.

* * *

Blaise fumed as he stared at the girls retreating back. He hated how the past two years, her, Potter and, Weasley always broke the rules, yet never received punishment for it.

A big question was Miss. Know-It-All, as Theo called her, wasn't in class. He honestly had no idea, nor did he care. As he finished collecting his things, he began his way to Transfiguration, not giving Granger another thought. As he arrived at his destination, he pushed open the door slowly, hoping Professor McGonagall was in a merciful mood, or she wouldn't see him sneak in. Making his way into the classroom, he slowly started to shut it behind him, seeing a nice seat in the back he could sneak into, but lost his grip on the door, and it slammed shut behind him.

**THUD**

"Why hello Mr. Zabini, so nice of you to join us." Professor McGonagall said from the front of the classroom. "Professor, if you would just give me a second to exp-" he began to speak, but she put her hand up, and he immediately stops. "Normally I would only give you a warning. However, as this is the second time you have been late to my class, you are to report to detention tonight at 7:45. My office."

He glumly replied "Yes Ma'am" and began to make his way to the only seat available, next to his friend Daphne Greengrass. "Look who decided to show up" she whispers under her breath to him, as he sat down, and pulls his seat to the table. "Sod off" he hisses at her. She suddenly began to sniff the air, and started to frown. "What is that smell?"

Blaise inwardly grimaces: In his rush, to get to class, he forgot to take a shower this morning.

"This is going to be a long day," he would say to himself more than anyone else.

* * *

Hermione couldn't believe the nerve of that boy. She had only tried to help him, after she ran into him, and he had snapped at her. She now recognized him as Blaise Zabini, one of Malfoy's friends, and looking back she shouldn't be too surprised: Anyone who hung around Malfoy, was no good.

Finally arriving at the classroom, she pushed the door open, hoping that Professor Snape wouldn't notice her come in.

As her luck would have it, he would be standing directly in front of her as she walked in, greeting her with his trademark sneer.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence Miss. Granger" he said with an almost snarl. "Professor please forgive for being late, it wasn-".

"You may explain this later to me, in detention, at eight tonight. This classroom," he said with a faint outline of a smirk on his face "And I believe that will be 5 points from Gryffindor, for your tardiness. Now take your seat" he finishes and then turns around to take his position at the head of the class. "Yes sir" she said forlornly, and made her way over to the only seat available, next to Harry. He gave her a sympathetic look, as she sat down. She started taking out her supplies, from her bag. She definitely lost a few things, when she collided with the Slytherin boy, and her bag went flying. She wouldn't be able to do a full inventory right now though, so she would have to wait until her free period before lunch. As she thought about lunch, she suddenly felt her stomach grumble, and she remembered that she had skipped breakfast this morning.

"This is going to be a long day," she said under her breath, as she began to take notes with her one remaining quill.

A/N

This is my first story so naturally I'm pretty excited to see what it can do! This chapter was only to introduce everybody. Future chapters will be more in depth, and longer.

P.S. if you like the story. Be sure to review

Regius Anguis= Royal Snake

Tempus= Time


	2. Just One Normal Year

A/N: First off, I'd like to apologize for how long it took me to update this. A mixture of writers block, and the real world has kept me away from writing. But now I'm back, and now hope to update much more frequently. With that said: ON TO THE SECOND CHAPTER!

* * *

"Hey Zabini, wait up!" a voice called out from behind Blaise, as he walked out of the classroom. He turned around to see his friend Tracey Davis running towards him. As far as Slytherins went, she was definitely seen as one of the more friendly of their house. That is to say, the other houses wouldn't glare at her, as soon as she entered a room, as they would, him or Draco.

"Nice to see, you're starting this year off so punctual", Tracey grins at him, as they walked down the hallway. "What, is this the third time you've been late to ole McGonagall's class?"

"Second", Blaise glared at her. The first time hadn't even been his fault. Well, okay maybe it was a little. Draco and him, had gotten up at the crack of dawn two nights before, and spent some time down at the Quidditch pitch, to get ready for tryouts, in a couple weeks. There was no way he was losing his spot on the team, but practice makes perfect, as his mother always told him. Being so into the task at hand, they failed to realize that class had begun for the day, and were thus ten minutes late for Transfiguration. What could he say: Time flies when you're having fun.

Tracey raised her hands up in mock surrender, "My mistake, but in all seriousness, why were you late today?" she looked at him with an inquisitive glint in her eye.

Blaise sighed, and began to tell her, about his journey through the past 16 hours. About the tournament of exploding snap, about how his dunderhead friends had failed to wake him up, and about his little run in with Granger. When he was finished, he could tell she was amused by his story when she heard, he ran into the Gryffindor girl.

"Graceful as always my dear Blaise" she smirked at his misfortune, and was awarded with a nice glare in return. The smirk then morphed into a look of deep thought "I wonder why Ms. Perfect was out in the halls, when classes had already started?"

Blaise could practically see the wheels turning in his friend's head, as she filed away this information, to see if she could use it a later time. Yes she was seen as one of the "nicer" Slytherins. But she was still a Slytherin.

They started talking about things of a different nature, as they continued on their way to the Great Hall, to fill their bellies with lunch.

"I'm just saying Blaise, you should really start going to bed a lot earlier, and waking up earlier. Maybe then this won't happen again", Tracey rattled on and on, about how he needed to be more responsible, as the Great Hall came in sight. Even at a distance, they both could already smell the amazing food, which they were about to eat.

Blaise had no idea why Tracey, got on him like this at times. She was one of his closest friends for almost 3 years now, but she nagged him like they were an old married couple sometime.

Blaise opened his mouth to respond, when a voice beat him to the punch.

"Yeah Zabini, you should really start caring about your future", Daphne Greengrass smirked at him, as she interjected herself into their conversation. "If you're not careful, you might lose your spot on the team". Their conversation then took them through the open doors of the Great Hall. Even after three years, the hall looked just as magnificent as the day they first laid eyes on it.

"So Blaisey, looking forward to detention later, are we?" Daphne continued as soon they took their usual spots, at the Slytherin table.

Blaise gave her a look of hate, when she said her nickname for him. She knew he hated it, which is exactly why she said it. If Tracey nagged him like a wife, then it was Daphne who annoyed him, like a younger sibling. "Well Daffy, we'll have to see. Judging from what I've heard in the past, her detentions are less than ideal" he ignored her incensed glare, as he fired .

Before their conversation could continue, a piece of parchment floated down into the middle of their group with the Hogwarts seal emblazoned upon it. As it came to rest in front of Blaise, it started to unravel until it took the shape of a mouth.

" _Dear Mr. Zabini_ " it started, taking on the voice of Professor McGonagall, "_I regret to inform, that I will be unable to be there to supervise your detention, tonight at 7:45_ ", the letter's next words silenced Blaise's shout of glee, "_Therefore you are hereby, required to report to the dungeons, at 8'oclock to serve your detention with Professor Snape_".

_Best Regards,_

_Professor McGonagall_

Before the trio could discuss the letter, and its contents, Draco walked up with Theo, and they both sat themselves down on either side of Blaise.

"What was that all about?" Draco said, as he started to grab food from the table, and pile it onto his plate.

"Just wait one sec," Blaise said with a calm voice. He balled his hands up into fists, and struck out to either side of him, into the shoulders of his roommates.

"OWWW, OI what was that for?!" Theo grunted out in pain. He had been snacking on a sandwich, but had spit out a good portion of it, when Blaise punched him, much to the disgust of the female members of their group.

"Next time, wake me up when it's time for class, you bloody berk" Blaise said simply, and then started to dine on his lunch. Draco gave him a quick glare, and then proceeded to do the same.

As the lunch went on, they all started talking about typical teenager things: Classes, what kind of spells they might learn this year. As it would happen, the same thing would be going on at the Gryffindor table.

* * *

"I'm just saying Ron, you should really start paying more attention in class. I'm not always going to be there to give you my notes", Hermione said in an exasperated tone, as they dined on their lunch. It seemed she had this conversation with Ron everyday, for the last 3 years. He would always fall asleep in class, or get sidetracked talking with Seamus Finnigan in the back of the classroom. He always relied on her, to bail him out of every situation. One day she was just going to flat out say no.

"Les be honest Mione, oi'd fail out of her without yu." Ron managed to say through a mouthful of food. You think his mother would have taught him better manners.

After a look of disgust, Hermione turned to Harry, and said "Did I miss anything important in Potions, before I got there? I'd hate to behind, just cause I was a little late"

Harry finished chewing his food, before he responded. He was a bit more of a gentleman than his red headed friend. " Oh just the usual" he sat up straight and, began talking in a monotone voice, with a frown on his face, "There will be no silly wand waving in this class. There will be no, late assignments in this class " His frown, turned into a sneer, " 100 points from Gryffindor".

Everybody who had heard the impression broke out into laughter, with Ron almost choking a bit on his food that he had only half swallowed. After everyone had stopped laughing, and gone back to their own conversations, Harry looked at Hermione, with a serious look on his face, "Why were you late today, if you don't mind me asking? I think this is the first time in…well ever, that I can recall you not being there on time."

Hermione sighed, and explained to him the events that had transpired that day. She left out the encounter with the Slytherin boy. She didn't want either of her friends feeling they had to defend her.

Harry gave his friend a look of sympathy. He knew better than most, how important it was to Hermione to have a perfect record in the classroom. If only there was a way, he could serve the detention for her, but he knew the Snape would never allow it. There was a possibility, he would even take away points, just for them asking.

As the students finished up the last bits and pieces of their meals, a gong sound sounded from the Professors table, and reverberated throughout the Great Hall, signaling it was time to move on to the next class.

"Come on, we don't want to be late to Herbology", Harry said to his friends as they all got up, and began to make their way out to the grounds for their next class. If they had been lucky, they would've gotten there without incident. As it would happen, luck was not on their side today.

"Hey Potter, I hear you had a little trouble staying on your feet, on the Hogwarts Express?", Draco Malfoy said in an overly loud tone of voice, as he walked up with his usual gang of cronies. Among them, Hermione noticed, was Blaise Zabini. She gave a quick glare at him, which he responded with a look of indifference. This is in turn left her infuriated. If it had not been for him, she might have actually been on time, to Potions.

"Why don't you just clear off Malfoy. Can't I just have one day without you trying to pick a fight, that you'll just end up losing", Harry shot back at his rival, with a little bit of anger in his voice. He was growing tired of this feud that stretched on year after year. One day he was just going to lose it on the boy.

A touch of red, suddenly came over Draco's face. Everyone could tell how furious this comment made him. It was just too easy, to get to him sometimes. Suddenly his face contorted into a grin, as the red subsided into the usual pale coloring. "Just watch yourself this year Potter. This isn't over: not by a longshot." With that, he set off making sure he bumped his shoulder into Harry's as he passed. His group swiftly followed behind him, as they set off towards the dungeons.

Harry just sighed and gave a look to his friends, that was followed by Ron saying what they were all thinking.

"Can't we just have ONE normal year?"


	3. Detention

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter universe, no matter how much I would like too. I'm just some guy with a computer putting out my thoughts for you on the internet

Chapter 3: Detention

"Hey watch where you're going!"

"Sorry!" Hermione yelled behind her, to the person she almost knocked over, as she sprinted down the hall. She had never been late to anything while at Hogwarts, but it was about to happen, for the second time in the last twelve hours. It was like someone somewhere was conspiring against her.

She wished she had someone to blame this time, but the fault belonged to nobody but her. She had fallen asleep for a quick nap by the fire in the common room after dinner, and had forgotten all about her detention that evening. When she awoke over an hour later, realization hit her like a train, and she took off, running as fast as her legs could take her.

She might have even have made it there sooner, if Ron hadn't stopped her, and tried to talk to her.

"Hey Mione, do you have a minute? I've been meaning to talking to you for a while now about something." Her red haired friend had said to her, as she rushed out of the Fat Lady. He has been coming down the hallway with Seamus Finnigan, and for some reason both of them smelled like smoke. Knowing Seamus's history with pyrotechnics, she wasn't really surprised.

"Not now Ron. I'm running late to detention with Snape, and I don't have time to talk", Hermione said as she slowed down just a bit, to respond to his question.

"But hermion-", Ron said before Hermione came to stop and looked behind her.

"Ronald, I can't talk right now. I promise we will talk after I get back from detention." she said with just a touch of anger creeping into her voice, before continuing her journey down the hallway. Before she could, she caught a glimpse of Ron's dejected expression on his face. She would apologize later, when she saw him next.

Finally getting to where she needed to be, she took a second to collect herself. She didn't want to go in the classroom, with her face all red from exhaustion. Sighing to herself, she hoped that he would be merciful, but she knew how stupid this sounded, when she really thought about it.

Pushing open the door, she started to apologize about how she was late, but what she saw next, made her come to a stop, and make the words just fall back into her mouth.

***What is he doing here? * **She thought to herself, as her eyes came to rest on Blaise Zabini

* * *

"I'll see you later boys, I got to get to Snape's for detention", Blaise said to Theo and Draco, as they walked out of the Great Hall from dinner. He had caught them up with the events of the morning at lunch, minus the run in with the Granger girl.

They both said their goodbyes, with Draco adding a "good luck", which was dripping with sarcasm. Everyone at the school knew how much Snape favored his own house.

With the dungeons being so close to the Great Hall, it took Blaise minutes to reach, Snape's classroom.

"Ahh Mr. Zabini, so nice of you grace me with your presence this evening", Professor Snape said from behind his desk, where he was grading papers. ***Knowing him he's probably giving out more than a few Dreadfuls and Trolls* **Blaise thought to himself.

"Before we begin your detention, I must discuss something with you" Snape said as he set his quill down, and folded his hands together. His eyes bore into Blaises's own, like a snake ready to strike. "I have heard reports from Professor McGonagall, that today was the second time that you have been tardy to her class. If you were just a regular student, then such news would mean nothing to me. However, you are not a regular student. If you are tardy a third time, you will be suspended from all extracurricular activities: Which includes the Quidditch team." Snape's eyes turned into almost slits, as he stared down his student. "This must not happen again. Am. I. Clear."

"Y-Yes sir", Blaise stammered out, taking an involuntary step back from his Head of house. He knew Snape would not physically hurt him, but there were other ways, in which someone could inflict pain.

"You may begin your detention, by going through the empty potion vials, and washing them thoroughly with water, and then rinsing them. Without magic of course", Snape said as he started to grade papers again. It been like the previous conversation hadn't even taken place, but Blaise knew that if he set one toe over the line in the future, he would regret it.

He started washing out the beakers and the vials as the Professor had instructed him. He had been doing this for a good while now, when suddenly the door creaked open, and in came in, a red faced with exhaustion Hermione Granger. Or was it anger? He couldn't tell.

"Ms. Granger, I'm glad to see you were able to fit your detention, into your schedule", Professor Snape said, barely looking up from the papers he was grading. "Consider that, five points from Gryffindor. You may begin helping Mr. Zabini. He will instruct you, in what needs to be done"

She looked like she was about to complain, but eventually thought better of it. "Yes sir", Hermione said as she reluctantly made her way over to the recent bane of her existence. "What does he want me to do?" She asked Blaise, as she treated him with a glare.

"Just start wiping these down", he said simply, going back to his task, without further elaborating. Hermione frowned at him, and proceeded to do as instructed.

The next two hours were spent in mostly silence, only being broken by commands from Snape, telling them what he wanted to do next.

"It would appear, that both of your detentions have come to a close. Do not let me see either of you here again", their professor said, while looking directly at Hermione.

"Yes Professor", Hermione said, holding in a retort that was forming on her lips. She knew he was just trying to make her, give him an excuse to punish her with another detention.

She started to move towards the door, but just as she was about to turn the doorknob, Blaise pushed past her and walked through.

At first she was surprised, that he would do such a thing. If he had any manners at all, he would have let her go through first. She started to shake with fury. After the day she had, this little slight from him finally sent her over the edge. She stormed after him, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

"HEY!" she all but yelled at him, as the door slammed shut behind her.

Blaise turned around, hearing her yell. He wasn't going to lie: Her coming at him, with her eyes blazing like they were, had him scared almost as much as he had been with Snape.

"You think after all you've put me through. After the day I've had. You can just cut in front of me like that?" Hermione said with a raised voice stomping up to him. She didn't care if she was heard. She had just held back so much over the past day, it was all coming out now.

"You Slytherins are all alike! You think you can be cruel to whoever you want, because you think you're better!" She said putting her face mere inches away from his own. "You think because you're all "pure-blood" that you're better than the rest of us? Well you know what? My blood, and every other muggleborn's blood, is just as good as any of yours! Maybe even better actually!"

Blaise hadn't even spoken since she started in on him. He didn't have a chance too. "Yeah, well you're...!" The words died on his lips. His eyes drove into hers, and he saw something, that he never seen before in her brown eyes: Passion. He had never encountered this in another person before today, and it was stirring something in him that he couldn't describe.

"A what? A mudblood? I've heard that far too often from your little gang to have any effect on me!" Hermione yelled in his face, as tears started to form in the corner of her eyes.

***Please don't cry*** Blaise didn't know why this thought raced through his head. He cared nothing for the girl, nor if she shed a couple tears. Which is why the next words to come out of his mouth, confused even him. "I think you're beautiful", he said as the words just spewed from his lips.

Hermione started to say something back, but she just froze as his words sunk in. She had already had more than a few responses planned, for what he had to say next, but she hadn't expected this.

"W-What did you say?" She stuttered out, as he just stared at her.

If she had been surprised before, what he did next just shocked her.

He put his lips on hers and began to kiss her.

Blaise had no idea what he was doing. He was supposed to HATE this girl. But this just felt so right. At that time, he didn't care what happened. He didn't care who found him like this: Snape, Draco. The whole bloody world could see him, and he wouldn't care. Right now, he knew he was supposed to be right here.

Hermione didn't know, why she hadn't pushed him away. This boy and his friends had done nothing, but torment her and her friends, in all her time at Hogwarts. Yet here she was: Letting him kiss her. Without knowing it, her arms had risen, to rest around the back of his neck, to draw him further into the kiss. She felt his hands on the small of her back, caressing her, holding her. For just that moment, she felt like everything was okay.

"Oi who's there?" a gruff voice from the end of the hall, snapped them out of the moment, which they had shared together, as they drew apart swiftly. They turned to see, the caretaker of Hogwarts, Filch approaching them. Judging from his eye squinting in their direction, he could only make out their forms, in the lowly lit corridor.

Eyeing each other quickly, they both decided in unspoken agreement, that there was only one option.

RUN

They bolted down the corridor, as fast as their legs could take them. ***Why am I doing so much running today? *** Both wondered to themselves, as Filch's shouts began to fade. They kept running nonetheless until they came to a corridor, where one end would take Blaise back to his common room, and the other would lead back, up into the Grand Staircase, back to Gryffindor tower.

They both just stood there in silence, for what seemed like hours. Suddenly Blaise turned to Hermione and said "So uh- Have a good night", and began walking down his corridor, at a swift pace, before Hermione could even say anything. Before she could even comprehend what he said, Filch's shouts began echoing down the corridor, and decided she couldn't stay here, and started to run down her corridor

* * *

_"Fortuna Major", _Hermione said to the Fat Lady, as she arrived outside Gryffindor Tower.

With a frown on her face, the Lady opened up the door to the common room. ***She must still be miffed about this morning***. Hermione made a mental note to apologize to her as soon as she could tomorrow.

Walking into the common room, she wanted nothing more than to just crawl into bed, and sleep the rest of the night away. Standing in her way, with a big dumb grin on his face, was Ronald Weasley.

"Hey Hermione, I'm glad I caught you. I was hoping we could talk?", he said patting the area next to him on the couch, where he was sitting.

"Ron can it wait till morning? I'm exhausted", Hermione said as she stretched, and yawned when she was done talking. Okay so maybe she was exaggerating just a bit, but whatever it took to get him off her back.

"It'll only take a couple minutes. And you did promise we would talk, after you got back from detention." He said while adding a little whine into his voice.

Hermione sighed. He could act like such a child sometimes. She wondered occasionally why she was friends with him, when all they did was fight. Going over to sit by the couch with him, she said "Fine, let's talk"

Ron grinned at her, but then his face became more serious. "Hermione" he started, moving himself closer to her, "I know we've been friends for a long time, and I'm proud how close we've gotten. But recently, I've been feeling something...more".

Hermione gave him a confused face. "What do you mean more?" She asked. She always thought of Ron to be a brother. She didn't know what more he could have wanted. ***Why is he moving closer to me? ***

"Maybe instead of telling you, I should show you", Ron said, then did something she did not expect.

He kissed her

Unlike the kiss she had shared with Blaise earlier, this kiss held none of the fire, none of the rapture, she gotten while with him. Startled, she pushed Ron back a bit. "I think we're going a little fast, let's just slow down and talk more in the morning. I promise", she said sweetly. She wanted to let him down easy. The last thing she wanted to lose him as a friend, just become of his teenage hormones.

"Yeah that sounds good to me", Ron said obviously disappointed, but accepting her promise that they would talk tomorrow." Goodnight Hermione", he said getting up from the couch, and moved up the stairs to his dormitory.

Hermione sighed sadly. She wished that she could have shared his feelings, if only to make him happy.

Moving up the stairs to her own dormitory, her friends words from yesterday echoed through her mind

***Can't I Just Have One Normal Year? ***


	4. Hormones Dementors and Screaming Oh My!

Hermione woke up that morning, with the sun peeking in to greet her. Reaching for her wand in a hurry, she cried out "TEMPUS", and sighed in relief, when she saw it was only eight in the morning.

Her relief swiftly turned to anguish, when she started to recall the events of the night before. She tried to tell herself it was a dream, but she knew that was a lie.

After she took her shower, and got all of her essentials ready for the day, she started to make her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast

"Excuse me Lady." she said turning around, as the door to the common room shut behind her. The Fat Lady looked away from her, trying to pretend that she wasn't even there. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way, I acted yesterday. I was just in such a hurry, that I couldn't say it then." The Fat Lady looked down at Hermione, her expression softening. Too many students had treated her as just another portrait. At least this girl was trying to make amends. "It's alright my dear. Thank you for coming back and apologizing." She said, smiling down at Hermione, who smiled back up at her. The last thing she wanted was the Fat Lady, to hate her. This woman could make her life miserable, if she wanted too.

Making her way down to the Great Hall, she started to think of what happened last night with Blaise. She didn't know what had come over her. His kiss had just come so fast that she hadn't had time to react, so she just went along with it.

The bigger question is how was she going to handle Ron? They had been so close the past few years, she would hate to lose him as a friend, just cause she didn't like him, the way he liked her.

"Hey Hermione!" a voice called out behind her, and she tensed hoping it wasn't Ron. Turning around, she relaxed, and said "Hey Harry" as her friend came running up to her. "How was detention with Snape last night?" He asked as they walked down the stairs together.

"It was...uneventful. He just had me clean up his classroom", she said after a slight hesitation. She didn't want of the real truth of what happened last night getting out.

"That doesn't sound too bad. Knowing Snape, it could have been much worse." Harry said as they walked into the Great Hall. They took their usual spots at the Gryffindor table, by Ron who had surprisingly woken up early to get down to breakfast. Hermione made sure she took a seat across from him, and the disappointment clearly showed on his face.

"So are you all ready for Divination first period?" Harry asked his friends between mouthfuls of food.

"I think it'll be interesting." Ron mumbled out, slowly eating his food for a change. Hermione could see that last night was still bothering him. Harry nodded, not noticing how down his best friend was. "What about you Hermione?" He said looking at her.

"I'm not thinking one way or another about it. It's never been proven one hundred percent of the time, that you can tell your future, by "omens". It's all a bunch of guesswork." She said frowning. The only reason she was taking the class, was because she need another elective on her schedule. It was either this or Muggle Studies

"I still think it's going to be pretty interesting", Harry said with a grin on his face. He wasn't going come up with an opinion, without experiencing something first.

* * *

"Blaise. BLAISE!"

"W-what?" Blaise said jerking his head up from the table. Theo shook his head and said," You fell asleep again. They just started serving breakfast". Blaise nodded and yawned. He had been tossing and turning all night, his mind racing about what had happened with Granger. "How was it last night? What did Snape have you do?" Theo asked as he ate his breakfast. Across the table, Draco looked up from reading today's edition of the Daily Prophet, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

"Snape was Snape. He told me if I were late to another class, I'd be suspended from Quidditch this year. Scared the hell out of me", Blaise said hesitating before he spoke. The last thing he needed was his friends to find out, about him kissing Granger. They'd ridicule him, till the day they all graduated. Probably even longer than that.

"He's right though. You better stay eligible", Draco said over his paper, "You were our leading scorer last year, and if you don't play, we'll get slaughtered." Few things in this world were important to Draco. Quidditch was one of them. He loved to play, and he was almost as good as Blaise, in sheer flying ability.

"So Draco, when are Crabbe and Goyle supposed to be released from the infirmary?" Theo asked as they walked out of the Great Hall, on the way to Potions. The two idiots that usually follow them everywhere, had gotten food poisoning at the Welcome Feast. They had been holed up with Madam Pomfrey, for the past few days.

"Who knows, and who cares. When you had as much steak and kidney pie, as those two did, you should know something bad is going to happen." Draco said with indifference. If it had been Blaise or Theo, he probably would have at least pretended to care, but Crabbe and Goyle, were more lackeys than actual friends.

"Oh Malfoy I'm so touched, with your concern. I actually think I might shed a tear." Daphne said sardonically as she and Tracey walked up. Draco glared at the girl who had injected herself into their conversation. It was no secret he didn't care for her or Tracey. If he could, he would switch them with Crabbe and Goyle. At least he had a use for them.

"How was detention last night?" Tracey asked Blaise. "It was o-." he started before being interrupted by Malfoy, shouting at Harry Potter, who was passing by with his friends. "Hey Potter make sure the Dementors don't get you on the way to class!" He taunted as Potter, just kept walking. If Draco's words had irked him in any way, it did not show.

* * *

**Is he really going to bring up what happened on the train for the rest of the year? **To Hermione, it wasn't that funny. She got chills even remembering it.

* * *

_Hermione sighed as she sat back in her seat. The journey to the express had been long, and difficult. Unlike the last couple years, where they would just go with their families, the Ministry of Magic had sent their own people to escort them. Thankfully they had stayed off the train, but it still made Hermione nervous, that they were even here with them at all. It just showed her how dangerous Sirius Black actually was, if they were willing to put that amount of protection around Harry. _

_Beside her the man they had found in their compartment, lightly snored the day away. They had learning from reading his briefcase, that his name was Professor R.J. Lupin. "Must be the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. That is the only vacancy at Hogwarts right now". She actually felt sorry for the poor man: In the past three years, this was the third DADA teacher they had. Some people were saying that the position was jinxed._

_He had been useful when Malfoy and his gang had come to pick a fight. They caught one look of the professor, and had started running, like frightened rabbits with their tails between their legs._

_"So you're for sure not going to be able to go Hogsmeade this year?" Ron asked Harry for the seventh time. Third year was the first year, that they were allowed to go to the wizard village of Hogsmeade, but you had to have a signed permission form from a parent or/guardian. Harry aunt and uncle had refused to sign his, after what he had done to his uncle's sister. "Yes Ron, I'm certain." Harry sighed at his best friend. He hated not being able to go to Hogsmeade on the weekends, and Ron reminding him every five minutes wasn't helping._

_"I'm sorry Harry, I wish that there was something I could do", Hermione said sadly. She hated to see her friend like this, so distraught, and forlorn._

_Before anybody could say anything, a loud screech was heard outside the train, as it came to a screeching halt. The Gryffindors were sent flying, and even their sleeping companion almost fell to the compartment floor, but other than he remained motionless, the trains movements not seeming to disturb him._

_"We can't be there yet. Why are we stopping?" Hermione said picking herself back up. She had never heard of the Hogwarts Express having mechanical problems, so her assumption was somebody must have stopped the train manually. The lights in their compartment had started flicker when the train stopped, but now they went out all together. "Something's not right", Harry said what they were all thinking. The previously warm air suddenly turned bone chilling cold. The windows to the train corridor began to frost up, the crackling of the ice spreading, an eerie sound in the dead quiet of the train._

_Hermione started to feel something in her gut. She felt fear. This wasn't the usual type of fear she had felt over the past two years at Hogwarts. The feeling she got from almost smashed by a massive troll, or being petrified by a basilisk. _

_No. This was a whole new type of fear. It felt like, at that moment all the happiness in the world had gone._

_The compartment door suddenly whooshed open, and out of the darkness came a creature. It had a long billowing cloak that was ripped in several places. It was a massive creature, reaching from the floor to the ceiling. It floated into their compartment, the fear and depression becoming stronger than ever. It was clear that it was the creature producing these feelings._

_Beside her, Hermione heard a sharp intake of breath. She turned and saw Harry fall to the ground. "Harry!" She yelled out, as she lethargically moved to her friend. It was as if the creature was sapping her very energy. IT started to float closer and closer to them. It was at that moment Hermione thought she might not make it off this train alive._

_"__**EXPECTO PATRONUM"**__, a voice called out from behind her, and suddenly the compartment was filled with light, and when it cleared, the creature was gone. Turning around, Hermione saw that Professor Lupin was on his feet with his wand pointed towards the door. "Are both of you alright?" He said, not putting away his wand. He moved towards the door, sticking his head out. Probably making sure that thing didn't come back. "Y-Y-Yes sir. Professor, our friend he's not moving." Hermione said as she knelt down next to Harry. With the creature gone, she felt her energy start to come back._

_Harry however, was still unconscious. His face was as white as snow, and she could barely see his chest rise from his breathing._

_"Stand back." Professor Lupin told them, as he knelt down to Harry's level._

_"__**Rennervate**__." He said pointing his wand at Harry. At first there was no signs that the spell did anything. Suddenly Harry eyes shot open and he started to breathe heavily. _

_"Harry! Are you alright?" Hermione said with concern engraved in her eyes._

_"Wuh- what happened?" Harry asked as he tried to get his breathing under control. "You fainted when IT came in." Hermione turned to look at Professor Lupin. "What was that thing?"_

_"That was a Dementor. A guard of the wizard prison of Azkaban. I suspect it was searching the train for the fugitive Sirius Black." The professor brought out a wrapper from his pocket, and offered it to Harry, who eyed it with suspicion. "It's just chocolate my boy. It'll help trust me." Lupin said as Harry relaxed and took the offered food. " Now. I must have a word with the conductor, and see how long it will be before we are underway." The professor said, as he made his way out of the compartment, sliding the door shut behind him._

_"Who was screaming?" Harry asked, as he nibbled at the chocolate. The color was beginning to come back to his face, but he was still shaking a bit._

_"What do you mean?" Ron asked with a confused look on his face. The Dementor had almost made him soil himself when it had come, and like Harry he was still shaking from the incident._

_"Before I fainted, I heard someone scream. Who was it?" Harry said looking at Hermione. He had heard a woman scream, and thought it might have been her._

_"No one was screaming Harry." Hermione said giving him a strange look._


	5. Omen of Death

"Omen of death. What a load of hogwash!" Hermione said as they left Transfiguration.

When they had gotten to Divination it only took twenty minutes for her to make up her mind about it. _I should have taken Muggle Studies_.

Their Professor was a strange looking woman. She was thin as a quill, with thick glasses that made her resemble an insect.

"Welcome. How nice to see you in the physical world at last." she had said in a soft misty voice. Hermione and her friends glanced at each other in confusion. 'Welcome to Divination. My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."

"You!" she suddenly said pointing at Neville, "In the coming months you will be late to my class. Take care you do not fall behind." Neville just responded with an open mouth, not sure what to say. "Now we will begin this lesson by drinking tea. Use the shapes the leftover tea leaves leave, to cast your mind into the FUTURE!" She said intensely, but was met with the blank stares of twenty-five teenagers.

Harry and Ron had amused themselves the whole class by giving each other false predictions. "Would you look at that Harry? Looks like you're going to marry a beautiful woman, and have three kids. Congrats mate!" Ron said looking into his Divination book. Hermione just shook her head in exasperation. It was good though to see Ron get back in his good spirits. She didn't want him brooding over her for the rest of his life.

"What have you found my dear?" Professor Trelawney said as she passed by their table. Taking a looking into Harry's cup, she suddenly stumbled back, a look of horror on her face. "My dear boy", she stammered out. "What is it Professor?" Lavender asked with a mix of curiosity and fear. "T-There is no easy way to say this. It would appear you have...The Grim."

"I'm sorry professor. The what?" Harry said confused. It was clear to the professor that he had not read the whole textbook that summer (even though she had highly suggested in their course outline that they do so).

"The giant spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen. An omen.. Of death." The professor said dread creeping into her voice. The whole classroom was silent, transfixed by her words.

Except for one.

"Or it could just be a couple tea leaves?" Hermione said breaking the silence. Her statement was greeted by looks of shock from the classroom. It was not often that one would hear Hermione talk to a teacher in the way she just had, if ever.

Professor Trelawney looked at Hermione, as if she was looking into her very soul. When the professor didn't say anything at first, Hermione thought maybe she had crossed the line. _Please don't let her send me to detention_. The last thing Hermione needed was a repeat of what happened last night.

"I would not expect you to understand my dear", Professor Trelawney finally said emphasizing the word _you_,"Your aura is almost non-existent It's clear that you were not blessed with the sight."

Hermione's face went red with a mixture of embarrassment and rage. She started to reply, but at the last second held her tongue. She didn't need any more trouble.

The rest of the class passed without incident, with Trelawney making one more prediction

"Take note my children. My inner eye has shown me a prediction of the future! One of our own will depart from us forever before this Easter is over with. Now go forth and remember everything you have learned today!" She said as her students departed.

* * *

Hermione and her friends descended from the Divination classroom to the Grand Staircase at a hurried pace. They had just barely made it to Divination on time, and the last thing they wanted was to be late to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagal would show them no mercy.

They took a table in the back of the classroom, as soon as they got to Transfiguration.

"Really what is wrong with all of you today?" Professor McGonagal said transforming back into her human form. She thought that her students would find this lesson "cool", because of the fact, they were covering animagus. In fact, they were the first class in her recent memories that were not impressed with her transforming into her tabby cat.

"I'm sorry Professor, but we just had our first divination lesson, and we were reading the tea lea-", Hermione started to explain, but was cut off by Professor McGonagal. "Ahhh yes I understand now," she said with a frown, "Tell me: which one of you children is doomed to die this year?"

"Me Professor", Harry said with a puzzled look on his face. "Mr. Potter, every year Professor Trelawney predicts a student will die in some horrible fashion, and every year her prophecy's are proven false. Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic that there is, and Professor Trelawney is-." The professor began

but stopped herself before she said anything further. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "What I'm trying to say is Mr. Potter, in all likelihood you will be fine".

* * *

"What do we got next?" Blaise asked his friends as they left Potions. "Care of Magical Creatures, with that oaf Hagrid," Draco sneered, "and it's with the Gryffindor's."

Blaise was lucky his friends couldn't see the look that came over his face. Why did it have to be with the Gryffindor's? It felt as if the fates were conspiring against him. The last thing he wanted was to be so close to HER for that long.

"Did any of you manage to get your book open, without it biting you?" Theo asked his friends as they started to make their way down to the grounds, "Mine almost took my whole hand off."

"Didn't have any luck with mine. Had to tie it shut with a rope." Draco said as they arrived at the Groundskeepers cabin. It was a quaint little hut, perched on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, which looked just as frightening in the daytime as it did at night.

"Everyone gather round here now!" The large man that was their professor called out from outside his hut. He stood at least 11' Ft. tall with a big bushy beard jutting out from his face. Honestly Blaise wouldn't be surprised if he found out the man had giants' blood in him. "Got a real treat for yeh today!"

"Now if yeh'll open up yer books to page eighty-three, we can start." Hagrid said as he lead the class around the back of his cabin. "And just how are we supposed to do that exactly? It tried to kill me the last time I touched it." Draco said scowling at the professor. He brought his book out, and just as he said earlier it was roped shut. "Well yeh just ave' to stroke it." Hagrid said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Ave' none of yeh been using yer books?"

"How are we supposed to use them if they try to take our limbs off?" Theo said and Blaise nodded in agreement. It was a stupid idea to give students books like these. A rookie mistake that the first year Professor couldn't make if he wanted to stay. "Well I don know, I thought they were funny." Hagrid stammered out. "Oh yes terribly funny, putting your students in dang-" Draco started, but was interrupted by Potter. "Shut up Malfoy." He said walking over with Weasley and Granger. Upon seeing HER, Blaise averted his head, to where he wasn't looking at her, something that wasn't lost upon Daphne, who was standing with Tracey watching the exchange between the two rivals.

"Now now that's enough of that yeh two", Hagrid said taking control of the situation, and before either of his students could say anything, he clapped his hands together, "Now yeh all got yer books open. Today we'll be learning about Hippogriffs!"

"First things first, Hippogriffs are a proud species", Hagrid said as he led them to a paddock at the back of his cabin. There were about seven beasts that must have been the creatures, they were learning about today. They were a mixture of a horse, and an eagle, and they were all staring at the students, with a mixture of curiosity, and suspicion. "Yeh approach Hippogriffs slowly, no sudden movements. Then yeh bow to them. If they bow back, yeh can get up closer to em. If not…well we'll get to that later."

This didn't make sense to Blaise. Why not tell them now, when they could make use of this information?

"Now do I have any volunteers to come and demonstrate all this?... 'Arry! Good lad." Hagrid said delighted when Potter stepped up and volunteered. "Sycophant." Draco said under his breath. Blaise sighed in exasperation. This little feud with Potter had been going on for three years now. Granted he didn't care for the Gryffindor either, but he didn't spend every waking minute of his existence thinking up ways to start arguments with him, like Draco did.

"I got an idea that might give us a little show later on." Draco said a malicious grin on his face. "What are you planning?" Blaise said suspiciously. His friend was up to something and he wasn't sure what to think. At the head of the class, Potter had ingratiated himself to the hippogriff that had come forward to the class. Its name was Buckbeak if Blaise remembered correctly; he hadn't been paying close attention.

"It'll be worth it. Just wait and see." Draco said as Buckbeak took off into the sky with Potter on its back.

* * *

When she saw HIM, Hermione felt her face blanch red. Up until that moment, the events of last night had stayed in the recesses of her mind, but they had come rushing up, when he walked over with Malfoy and Nott. Hagrid quickly spoke up, for before the argument became a full-fledged scuffle. Looking away, so she didn't catch Blaise's eye, she saw Daphne Greengrass motion to her, to come talk to her. As far as Slytherins, Daphne was definitely one of the more approachable members of her house. She and Hermione had worked on a Transfiguration

project, in their first year. They had met up in the library to study together, even after the project was over. Madam Pomfrey even said that Daphne came to visit her when she was in the hospital wing last year, from being petrified.

"How have you been Hermione? It's been so long since we last talked." Daphne said smiling at her friend. Around Hogwarts, Daphne was known by a special name by her fellow students: The Ice Queen. She acquired this nickname first year when a fourth year tried to get overly friendly with her. She then proceeded to freeze his man parts. Since then most of the students steered clear of her. To them, she was a girl who walked around day after day, with no emotions reaching her face. But to a select few, she was just like any other teenage girl.

"I've been well. Thank you for asking." Hermione said forcing a smile. Her life was less than ideal at the moment, and she didn't want to bring her friend down, by discussing it with her. "One of the things that make me such an ideal Slytherin is, I can tell when people aren't telling the full truth," Daphne frowned at her friend, "Hermione just be honest with me please. I'm here to listen."

Hermione sighed. You couldn't get much past Daphne Greengrass. "I got a detention the yesterday for the first time, and since then everything just seems to be going downhill." She knew Blaise was a friend of Daphne's, and she didn't want to share the full story of what happened last night: Not even with Daphne. "THE Hermione Granger got a detention? I never thought I'd see the day." Daphne said a little smile playing on her lips. Her friend could be a little dramatic sometime. One day she would realize one little hiccup wouldn't ruin her life. "Who did you serve it with? Flitwick? Sprout? McGonagall?"

"Snape. I was late to his class, and he gave me a detention, AND took five points away from Gryfinndor." Hermione said sullenly. The detention was bad enough, but she hated having the rest of her house get punished, because of what she did. "I hope it was- wait. Did you say it was with Snape?" Daphne said, not being able to disguise the curiosity in her voice. "Yes why?" Hermione said confused. It's not like Snape didn't give out his fair share of detentions. "Nothing. I was just making sure I heard you right." Daphne said trying to stave off her friend's suspicion.

"Well done 'Arry! Well done indeed!" Hagrid yelled out in an enthusiastic tone. Looking towards the paddock, Hermione saw that Harry had returned with Buckbeak. She started to applaud along with most of the class, but then she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, as a blonde figure moved past her.

"That doesn't look so hard. Why don't you let me have a go?" Malfoy said in an overly loud tone of voice. "Malfoy, I wouldn't do that if I were yeh." Hagrid warned the Slytherin boy, as he helped Harry down from Buckbeak. "It's not like the bloody chicken will do anything. Come on now! Why don't you and I go for a ride?" Malfoy said walking up to Buckbeak. To the hippogriff, this boy was an enemy. How dare he not bow to him, or show him any respect in his own territory. Not knowing what the boy might do, Buckbeak reared up on his hind legs, the light flashing briefly on his talons. He enjoyed the look of fear that raced through the boy's eyes. It was well deserved in his opinion.

"AHHHHH." Draco yelled out in pain as one of the beasts claws ripped across his arm, tearing through his robes. "AWAY BUCKBEAK AWAY." Hagrid rumbled, as his class shrieked in terror. He tossed a piece of meat that he had in his coat pocket, off to the side away from Malfoy. "Away with yeh, yeh silly creature."

"Its killed me, its killed me. The brute ripped my arm off." Draco whined, as he rolled around on the ground, clutching his arm as if it would fall off if he let go. "Calm down, its just a scratch." Hagrid said quietly to the young boy. He didn't want to terrify his students any more than they already were.

"Hagrid!" Hermione cried out, "He has to go see Madam Pomfrey immediately!" She didn't hold any love for Malfoy, but she didn't want to see him die.

"I'll take 'im up there meself. The rest of yeh, class is dismissed fer the day." Hagrid said as he picked Draco up, and began carrying him towards the castle.

* * *

A load groan could be heard, as the crowd of students dissipated. "Whelp! There goes our Quidditch season." Blaise said to Theo as they started towards the castle.

* * *

A/N: I know for someone who are enjoying this story, this isn't the note you want to read. But I'm temporarily putting this story on hiatus so I can commit to my new Game of Thrones story: Wolves At The Gate. I will still upload when I can for The Lion and Her Serpent, but most of the updates you see in the next few months, are going to be for Wolves.

Here's a little teaser:

"_**I've seen a massive wall. In the distance, an army of tall sinewy creatures is approaching, preparing for slaughter."**_

"_**What do you think all these mean?" Jon said now ensnared by his brother's words.**_

"_**There's a war coming Jon. I'm not sure who's going to be fighting it, but it's coming."**_


End file.
